As a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), you experience the world with profound depth, perceiving subtleties that often go unnoticed by others. This heightened sensitivity can be both a remarkable gift and a challenging burden, impacting how you navigate emotions, relationships, and daily experiences.
As a licensed art therapist and mental health counselor, and as an HSP myself, I offer a unique perspective on managing and embracing your sensitivity. Through art therapy, I provide a compassionate and creative space for you to explore your inner world, address emotional triggers, and cultivate inner peace.
understanding the world of a highly sensitive person
Being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) means that your nervous system processes sensory information quite deeply and intensely. HSPs are often on ‘high-alert’ to be able to notice the subtle details in their environment, experience their emotions intensely, and have a rich inner life!
identifying sensitivity traits in your child
If your child exhibits traits of high sensitivity, you might notice certain behaviors and emotional responses:
Sensitivity to Stimuli: Reacting strongly to loud noises, scratchy clothing, or bright lights.
Emotional Intensity: Expressing emotions vividly, whether in moments of joy or distress.
Empathy: Demonstrating deep concern and understanding for others, from family members to strangers.
Need for Solitude: Requiring time alone to recharge and manage irritability or emotional reactivity.
identifying sensitivity traits as adults +
what we notice about our ‘inner child’
As adults, understanding our own HSP traits often involves reflecting on our inner child and early experiences. You might recognize these traits if:
Labelled as Shy: You may have been described as shy or overly sensitive in childhood.
Emotional Depth: Feeling deeply affected by both your emotions and those of others.
Overstimulation: Becoming overwhelmed by loud noises, bright lights, or crowded spaces.
Perceptiveness: Noticing details and having strong intuitive insights that others might miss.
Empathy: Feeling deeply connected to the emotions and experiences of others.
Art therapy is particularly effective for HSPs because it offers a non-verbal and creative outlet for expressing complex emotions and experiences.
Art therapy provides a unique and supportive space for HSPs to navigate their heightened sensitivity. Here’s how it works:
Initial Check-In: Each session begins with a check-in to address how you're feeling and what you hope to achieve. This ensures that your current emotional state is acknowledged and sets a collaborative tone for our work together.
Tailored Interventions: I introduce art therapy techniques designed to resonate with your unique experiences as an HSP. These interventions offer a structured yet flexible framework to channel your emotions and perceptions into creative expressions.
Expressing the Inexpressible: Art therapy helps you articulate complex inner experiences visually and symbolically. For HSPs, this can be a powerful way to process intense feelings and sensory sensitivities that might be challenging to put into words.
Safe Exploration: Through art, you can explore your emotional intensity, sensory sensitivities, and empathetic nature in a safe and nurturing environment. This process facilitates insight, self-awareness, and healing at your own pace.
